Leak proof toilet tank siphon flush valve

ABSTRACT

A flush valve having a cross section of a portion of the drain entrance that while in a rest position is positioned above the water line so that there can be no leakage. When flushed, the entire entrance momentarily falls below the waterline creating a siphon, siphoning water out of the tank flushing the toilet and then once again rises to a position above the waterline so that leakage cannot occur.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of prior applicationSer. No. 10/259,674, filed Sep. 30, 2002, which claims the benefit ofU.S. Provisional Application No. 60/327,946, filed Oct. 10, 2001, andU.S. Provisional Application No. 60/348,246, filed Jan. 15, 2002.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

[0002] Not Applicable

REFERENCE TO A MICROFICHE APPENDIX

[0003] Not Applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0004] A typical toilet tank like that found in most homes has a flushvalve located within the toilet tank. A flapper resting on top of theflush valve stops the flow of water through the flush valve and forms asomewhat watertight seal. When the toilet flush handle is pusheddownwards, the flapper is lifted allowing water to flow through theflush valve, flushing the toilet. The method of sealing the flush valvewith a flapper is common. At some point, the underside of the flapperand the top portion of the flush valve that are in contact and forms asomewhat watertight seal degenerates and begins to leak. Leaking begetsleaking and after some time a considerable amount of water is beingwasted and the flush valve and flapper must be replaced.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] The object of the present invention is to provide a leak proofflush valve that will retrofit existing toilet tanks as well as be ableto be installed in new toilet tanks and having a life expectancy of manyyears and a cost that is less than conventional flush valves. The LeakProof Toilet Tank Siphon Flush Valve comprises a toilet tank flush valvehaving a cross section of a portion of its entrance normally resting ina position above the waterline so water can never leak entirely throughthe entrance. Only when the toilet is being flushed does the entireentrance momentarily fall below the waterline creating a siphon allowingthe water to be siphoned out of the tank, flushing the toilet. When mostof the water has been siphoned out of the tank, the siphon is broken anda float raises as the fill valve refills the tank again keeping a crosssection of the entrance above the water line.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

[0006]FIG. 1 is perspective view of the toilet tank outlet fixture.

[0007]FIG. 2 is perspective view of the flexible tubing.

[0008]FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a flush valve seal.

[0009]FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a partial assembly.

[0010]FIG. 5 is a plan view of the float.

[0011]FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the entire assembly in a restposition.

[0012]FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the entire assembly during a flushcycle.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0013] The following discloses a means of flushing a toilet by creatinga siphon within flexible tubing so that when the toilet is not beingused while the toilet tank is full of water, at least one entire crosssection of the flexible tubing is entirely above the water surface sothat the toilet tank will never leak water while not being used.

[0014]FIG. 1 shows a tank outlet fixture 1 having a lip 3 and a threadedend 5. FIG. 2 shows a partial view of flexible tubing 7. The flexibletubing 7 may have an internal support structure or may be made with ribsor baffles to help maintain the shape of its cross section. FIG. 3 showsa typical flush valve seal 11 having tapered side wills as shown. FIG. 4shows the assembly of the tank outlet fixture 1, the flexible tubing 7,and the seal 11 to a toilet tank 13 of which only a partialrepresentation of the tank 13 is shown. The flexible tubing 7 is fittedover the tank outlet fixture 1 with the threaded end 5 of the tankoutlet fixture 1 protruding through the flexible tubing outlet end 9 asshown. The seal 11 is fitted over the flexible tubing 7 and outletfixture 1 so that the tapered end of the seal 11 is positioned above thetank outlet hole 10 as shown and the top of seal 11 is positioned belowthe lip 3 of the outlet fixture 1. The threaded end 5 of the outletfixture 1 extends through the tank outlet hole 10. The flexible tubingoutlet end 9 also extends through the tank outlet hole 10 as shown. Whenthe fastening element 15 is fastened onto the threaded end 5 of theoutlet fixture 1, the seal 11 forms a watertight seal between theflexible tubing 7 and the tank 13. FIG. 5 shows a plan view of a float41 having two holes 43 that extend through the float 41 that arepositioned as shown. The float may be made from styrofoam but is notlimited to styrofoam. Any suitable buoyant material may be used.

[0015] Referring now to FIGS. 6 and 7. One end of the flexible tubing 7is fastened and sealed to the tank 13 as previously described and theflexible tubing 7 is fitted into the tank 13 in an upside down U-shapedconfiguration as shown. This U-shaped configuration is maintained byhaving the flexible tubing 7 inserted into both holes 43 located infloat 41 as shown. In FIG. 6 at least one entire cross section of theflexible tubing 7 that lies in a plane which is at right angles to thewalls of the flexible tubing 7 and also at right angles to the surfaceof the water is entirely above the water surface 37 as shown. One end ofthe toilet fill tube 29 extends from the toilet fill valve outlet 27with its other end fed into the flexible tubing inlet end 35 as shown.The float 41 is applying an upwards pressure on the fill valve lever 19keeping it in an off position so that water is neither entering the tank13 or the toilet via fill tube 29. When flush handle 23 is pushedupwards the flexible tubing 7 is forced downwards, via extension 25pushing downwards on float 41, so the flexible tubing 7 is substantiallysubmersed beneath the water surface 37 so the inside of the flexibletubing 7 is substantially under and filled with water. The water beginsto siphon and drain out of tank 13 through the outlet fixture 1, shownin FIG. 1 and FIG. 4, lowering the water level 37. As the water level 37in tank 13 drops below the upper most portion of flexible tubing 7, theinside of flexible tubing 7 remains substantially filled with waterbecause of the siphon created when the flexible tubing 7 issubstantially submersed beneath the water surface 37 so the watercontinues to drain out of the tank 13 as previously described until thewater surface 37 falls beneath the flexible tubing inlet end 35 breakingthe siphon and stopping the draining of water from tank 13.

[0016] As the water level 37 falls, the fill valve lever 19 falls whichopens up fill valve 17 allowing water to enter the toilet via toiletfill tube 29 and allows water to begin filling the tank 13 via tank filloutlets 31. The tank 13 water level rises pushing upwards on float 41until the fill valve lever 19 is forced upwards by float 41 far enoughand fill valve lever 19 closes, stopping the flow of water into thetoilet and tank 13 so that the water level 37 is once again at theposition shown in FIG. 6. This completes one flush cycle.

[0017] A float 41 positioned beneath the bottom of the bend in theflexible tubing 7 shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 is used to keep at least oneentire cross section of the flexible tubing 7 as previously describedentirely above the water surface 37 while the toilet is not beingflushed.

[0018] It is an important part of this invention that the distance thebottom of the flexible tubing end 35 is from the bottom of the tank 13at the time the siphon is broken and water stops draining from tank 13,substantially defines the amount of water used during one flush cycle.It is also an important note that fill tube 29, used to fill the toiletbowl, is not necessarily needed with this type of flush valve. After thesiphon begins to break and the toilet completes its flush, there isenough water still being siphoned after completion of the flush andbefore the siphon to completely broken to fill the toilet with enoughwater for the next flush. Prior to this invention, water entering thetoilet via toilet fill tube 29 was the source used for this purpose. Inother words, the toilet fill tube 29 and the internal components of thefill valve 17 supporting this portion of the toilet fill valve outlet 27can be removed from the fill valve 17, significantly reducing the costsof the fill valve 17.

I claim:
 1. A flush valve comprising a flush valve outlet fixture andflexible tubing.
 2. A floatable device having two holes with a diameternearly the same as the diameter of the flexible tubing of claim 1 thatextend through the floatable device.
 3. The flush valve of claim 1wherein the flexible tubing is connected at one end to the flush valveoutlet fixture.
 4. The flush valve of claim 1 wherein the flexibletubing is threaded through one hole of the floatable device of claim 2and threaded back through the second hole of the floatable device ofclaim 2
 5. A flush handle having an extension rod that extends away fromthe flush handle and then bends at nearly a right angle again extendingaway from the flush handle and yet another bend angling away from theflush handle.